Wildlife of Pakistan - Otter Specialist Group

Volume 1: Issue 1: January - March, 2012UPDATES ON WILDLIFE (NEWS & VIEWS)Pied Myna (Sturnuscontora) is DispersingFurther WestPied Myna (Sturnus contora) wasfirst recorded from Pakistan by Prof.Z. B. Mirza in 1982 in Shahdara indistrict Sheikhupura. Its dispersalfrom India advanced to Lahore,Kasur, Changa Manga, Balloki,Nankana Sahib and northwards toKharian and Rasul Head works inabout twenty years. In early 2000’sit was seen at Kalar Kahar and Dina.Recently, on 9 th February, 2012 itwas seen at Chashma barrage byProf. Z. B. Mirza.Was that a firstrecord of Tibetan Lark(Melanocorypha maxima) inPakistan?The difficult mountainous terrain ofextreme northern Pakistan is shortof data on birds. Mr. Shahid Iqbalalong with Mr. Waseem AhmadKhan and Syed Shamim Fakhri wereconducting a two-week baselineavian survey in Shimshal valley inKhunjerab National Park duringJuly 2009. We observed a flock ofeight larks, which appeared largerthan other lark species in Pakistan.These were about the size of acommon starling. That excited us, aswe thought it could be Tibetan Lark(Melanocorypha maxima). We werewatching these birds on ground from35 to 40 meter distance and it wassnowing light so the visibility was notvery clear. The Length of the wing inthis species reaches almost to the tipof the tail, which could not be noted,nor could we note the tail feathers,which are broadly white tipped,except the middle pair and the outermost feather is nearly white.There is a similar lark Melanocoryphabimaculata that also occurs in thesame area, but its size is little biggerthan a House Sparrow. Underpartsof both the species are white.We attempted to photograph ittwice but the flock was shy of ourphotographer and flew away eachtime he attempted to advance.Perhaps it was Tibtan Lark, a newbird record for Pakistan.WILDLIFE OF PAKISTAN43New distribution Range ofSeistan spiny-tail groundlizard (Uromastyx asmussi)in PakistanSyed Shamim Fakhri fromZoological Survey of Pakistan whileconducting herpetological surveysin Balochistan Province duringAugust 2009, found six specimensof the Seistan spiny-tailed groundlizard or Seistani sanda in Kharan,Washuk and Punjgur districts.It was previously reported fromChaghai in Balochistan along Pak-Afghan border whereas; the currentfindings extend the distributionrange of the species to further southof the country. Seistani sanda isa herbivore lizard taking leavesand flowers of grasses and othervegetation around. Its burrow has awide opening. It uses its spinose tailas a weapon by lashing it out anddoes not attempt to bite.